Saturday 9 July 2016

Ezekiel's Temple - Is it All Still Future?

Someone said Ezekiel's vision of the Temple is all still future.

Figuratively, some say.

Others say, literally.

But that doesn't give due consideration to the fact Ezekiel's vision was written for Jews of the captivity and was meant to be somewhat instructive to them - they were intended to act on the inspiration it gave them. How could they act on it, if the vision was entirely yet for a future time?

It would also be deceptive, because Ezekiel's writings sounded instructive to them.

It would also mean that the Prophets had been silent to the Jews during the captivity; that they were left without instruction; that their return was not prophesied.

It would also mean Jesus was too early in history to be Messiah - because according to Prophecy, Messiah was to come in the historical context of a rebuilt Temple and a reinstated Levitical priesthood.

No. The Bible gives us the history. Ezekiel's vision evidently was largely fulfilled. A temple was rebuilt. Levitical worship resumed. Some of the descriptions are obviously symbolic. Or it may be that part of the vision will see its culmination by the second coming of Christ.

But certainly the Levitical aspects have already seen their fulfilment. And the Lord Whom Israel sought, did indeed "suddenly come" to that Temple, as Malachi prophesied.

He was indeed preceded by a messenger - John the Baptist.

Together they saw a spiritual revival among the Levites, and all Israel - first, under the Law, when all Israel including priests came to be baptised by John unto repentance; and secondly, in the New Covenant, when a great number of priests believed and were added to the church at Jerusalem.

We only await the culmination - the great day of the Lord. But the program is all about Jesus - it's not about a physical temple and Levitical worship any more. Those things set the stage for Messiah's coming - and He came - His Name is Jesus. 

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